Clay, NY - Clay town councilors voted unanimously tonight to add a section to their zoning law that will provide a “senior residence district” for anyone 62 years and older.

“The idea is to have small retail, a coffee shop, a barber, doctor’s offices, dentists and podiatrists in one complex so seniors don’t have to drive far to get to the store or doctor’s office,” Town Councilor Bruce Johnson has said. “There’s a trend of people wanting to stay here, and many want to live within a senior community.”

The district must be at least five acres, and could include single-family homes, apartments, a nursing home, an assisted living facility, and shops up to 2,000 square feet.

No one voiced their opinion at the board meeting tonight. However, Johnson said he thinks this new zoning district will benefit the senior citizens in the town.

"It gives the senior residents the option to live in a community of their own that's found more often in the southern states," Johnson said after the board meeting. "It's an alternative to the types of housing currently available."

Johnson said he hopes developers will come forward with requests for zone changes to the new senior residence district.